AZ Construction and Renovation in Tucson's northside is using artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline designs, build estimates, and give customers a photorealistic look at their projects before construction begins.
The company has been using AI for about a year. So far, AI had a role in more than 20 projects.
Senior Project Director Brian Schuyler said the process starts with a sketch he creates. That design is then fed into an AI engine with a detailed prompt to generate a more realistic image of the finished project.
"I do it with most of my clients so that they can envision it and this is the early development, of course things change as it gets into production with them," Schuyler said.
Schuyler pulled up examples of a home the company is currently working on, showing how AI enhances the visual presentation for clients.
"So this is the interior with their window, but we're showing them this. See how it rendered everything. Looks a little more photorealistic. This was like ten seconds ran through there," Schuyler said.
Owner Jeffrey Wagner said the technology has expanded well beyond design work.
"It's really helped us put together estimates, safety protocols, and provide clients a better rendition of the product they're going to get at the very end of the job," Wagner said.
IT Marketing Director Ty Young said AI is being used as a tool to improve efficiency, not to replace workers.
"It's shrinking down workflows and moving forward, we expect this to continue to make our company and our industry more efficient," Young said.
AZ Construction and Renovation Director Thomas Eiber says just because AI is used, that does not mean they aren't using their own ideas.
"Whenever there is a new idea for implementation we do a lot of testing beforehand," Eiber explained. "We don't just want to give raw AI output into the world and have people find things. You know, you look on websites and see AI generated images where somebody has three arms. It's not a very good look for us when we produce things like that, so we want to make sure that we're producing good work. AI helps with that but it can't be the originator of the idea. You still have to think while using AI."
Wagner emphasized how the tech has made a big difference in their profession.
"It's done a really good job at making things efficient in the field and also giving clients what they want. It's really cut down costs in terms of time. So we're able to use that money and dedicate it elsewhere towards resources for personnel and marketing those types of things as well," Wagner added.
Eiber says the company uses AI to manage and reassign employees when scheduling disruptions occur.
"So a subcontractor canceling at the last minute, or a worker not showing up or a homeowner canceling the job at the very last minute, you know, it has the ability to monitor a schedule and determine the workers that are no longer being utilized and where they could best be utilized," Eiber said.
Wagner said that despite the speed and convenience AI offers, every output is verified before it is used.
"There's a lot of pricing metrics that need to be updated on a consistent basis," Wagner said. "Nothing is fool-proof, especially when it comes to the outflow of money or the input of money. So those do have to be double-checked."
Wagner said he is excited about where the technology is headed for the company and the construction industry.
According to Bluebeam, in 2025, only 27% of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) firms used AI. Early adopters see a strong difference. 68% have saved at least $50,000, and nearly half (46%) have saved 500-1,000 hours using AI tools. 94% of AEC companies currently using AI plan to further increase investment and use of AI in 2026, moving from pilots to workflow integration.
You can watch the KGUN 9 News special presentation "AI Jobs of the Future" here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Vanessa Gongora is KGUN 9's Westside reporter.. Vanessa fell in love with storytelling by growing up in sports. She was fascinated by how sports reporters go beyond the x's & o's to tell players' stories, and how sports bring people together, inspiring Vanessa to provide the same impact as a journalist. Share your story ideas and important issues with Vanessa by emailing vanessa.gongora@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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